Trend lines are shown when slope is significantly different from 0 at the p < 0.05 level. An orange line signifies an overall positive trend, and purple signifies a negative trend. Note that in the final report we will only test for trend when N >= 30. However, I have relaxed that requirement for the purposes of this document so that trends are highlighted when N >= 20. This means that some trends shown here will not be present in the final document. Dashed lines represent mean values of time series unless the indicator is an anomaly, in which case the dashed line is equal to 0. Shaded regions indicate the past ten years. If there are no new data for 2018, the shaded region will still cover this time period.

Mid-Atlantic Bight

Ocean Temperature

SST

MAB seasonal sea surface temperature time series overlaid onto 2019 seasonal spatial anomalies.

MAB seasonal sea surface temperature time series overlaid onto 2019 seasonal spatial anomalies.

Bottom temperature

Annual bottom temperature in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Annual bottom temperature in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Bottom Temp GLORYS

Annual bottom temperature in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Annual bottom temperature in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Chlorophyll and Primary Productivity

Primary production

Monthly primary production trends show the annual cycle (i.e. the peak during the summer months) and the changes over time for each month.

Monthly primary production trends show the annual cycle (i.e. the peak during the summer months) and the changes over time for each month.

Sesonal chlorophyll a & primary production

Weekly chlorophyll concentrations and primary productivity in the Mid-Atlantic are shown for by the colored line for 2019. The long-term mean is shown in black and shading indicates +/- 1 sample SD.

Weekly chlorophyll concentrations and primary productivity in the Mid-Atlantic are shown for by the colored line for 2019. The long-term mean is shown in black and shading indicates +/- 1 sample SD.

Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Attainment

Water quality attainment in Chesapeake Bay following rolling three year assessment periods.

Water quality attainment in Chesapeake Bay following rolling three year assessment periods.

Chesapeake Bay

Headline: Warmer-than-average winter water temps in Chesapeake Bay likely help blue crabs, hurt striped bass numbers.

Details here.

Zooplankton

Euphausiids + Cnidarians

Stratified abundance of cnidarians and euphausiids in Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Stratified abundance of cnidarians and euphausiids in Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Small and Large Calanoid stratified abundance

Abundance anomaly

Large (red) and small-bodied (blue) copepod abundance in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Large (red) and small-bodied (blue) copepod abundance in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Small-large index

Zooplankton Diversity

Zooplankton diversity in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Zooplankton diversity in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Calanus Stage

OI abundance

Cold Pool Index

Cold pool index - mean bottom temperature anomaly for Sept-Oct in the MAB.

Marine Heat Wave

Marine heatwave events (red) in the Mid-Atlantic occuring in 2020.

Marine heatwave events (red) in the Mid-Atlantic occuring in 2020.

Marine heatwave cumulative intesity (left) and maximum intensity (right) in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Marine heatwave cumulative intesity (left) and maximum intensity (right) in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Maximum intensity heatwave anomaly in the Mid-Atlantic Bight occuring on July 28, 2020.

Maximum intensity heatwave anomaly in the Mid-Atlantic Bight occuring on July 28, 2020.

Habitat Vulnerability

Council-managed or forage species that are highly dependent on (very) highly vulnerable habitats.
Importance of habitat by life stage (ACFHP)
Habitat Name Habitat Vulnerability Rank (HVCA) Species Eggs/Larva Juvenile/YOY Adult Spawning Adult Species Vulnerability Rank (FCVA)
Mid-Atlantic native salt marsh Very high Blueback herring NA Moderate NA NA Very high
Very high Pollock NA Moderate NA NA Moderate
Very high Summer flounder NA High Moderate NA Moderate
Very high Winter flounder High Moderate NA High Very high
Marine/estuarine intertidal shellfish reef Very high Black sea bass NA High High NA High
Very high Scup NA Moderate Moderate NA Moderate
Very high Summer flounder NA Moderate NA NA Moderate
Very high Winter flounder NA Moderate NA NA Very high
Marine/estuarine subtidal shellfish reef High Black sea bass NA High High NA High
High Summer flounder NA Moderate NA NA Moderate
Marine/estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation High Alewife Very high Very high NA Very high Very high
High Black sea bass NA High NA NA High
High Scup Very high NA NA Very high Moderate
High Summer flounder NA High Moderate NA Moderate
Marine intertidal rocky bottom High Black sea bass NA High High NA High
High Ocean pout High NA High Very high High
Marine intertidal mud High Little skate Very high High High NA Low
High Ocean pout NA NA NA NA High
High Scup Very high High NA NA Moderate
High Summer flounder NA High High High Moderate
High Windowpane flounder NA High High NA Low
High Winter flounder Very high High High Very high Very high
Marine intertidal sand High Little skate Very high High High NA Low
High Red hake NA High NA NA Low
High Scup Very high High NA NA Moderate
High Summer flounder NA High High High Moderate
High Windowpane flounder NA High High NA Low
High Winter flounder Very high High High Very high Very high
Marine/estuarine kelp High Ocean pout NA Moderate NA NA High
Estuarine intertidal rocky bottom Moderate Ocean pout NA NA NA Very high High
Estuarine intertidal mud Moderate Winter flounder Very high NA NA Very high Very high
Estuarine intertidal sand Moderate Winter flounder Very high NA NA Very high Very high
Estuarine subtidal mud Moderate Winter flounder Very high NA NA Very high Very high
Riverine sand Moderate Alewife Very high Very high NA Very high Very high

Ocean Acidication

Seasonal glider-based pH observations on the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf (New Jersey cross-shelf transect) in relation to Atlantic surfclam and Atlantic sea scallop habitats (modified from Wright-Fairbanks et al. 2020).

Seasonal glider-based pH observations on the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf (New Jersey cross-shelf transect) in relation to Atlantic surfclam and Atlantic sea scallop habitats (modified from Wright-Fairbanks et al. 2020).

Grace Saba at Rutgers University recently established a glider-based pH observation program to monitor seasonal dynamics of carbonate chemistry in the Mid-Atlantic Bight covering Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) and Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) habitats. Glider-based pH data are shown here with a general representation of depth ranges/habitat occupied by surfclams and sea scallops. Seasonal and spatial carbonate chemistry dynamics were influenced by stratification, freshwater input, biological processes, and water mass mixing. Highest pH was observed in winter shelf and fall shelf break water. Lower pH occurred in nearshore surface (spring through fall), likely as a result of freshwater input. The lowest pH values were observed in Cold Pool bottom water, particularly in the summer. This is likely attributed to low ventilation between surface and bottom water and biological respiration in bottom water.

Shelfwide Indicators

Seasonal SST anomaly

Seasonal sea surface temperature anomalies for 2019 over the Northeast US Shelf.

Seasonal sea surface temperature anomalies for 2019 over the Northeast US Shelf.

Long-term SST

Average annual sea surface temperature (SST) over the Northeast US Shelf.

Average annual sea surface temperature (SST) over the Northeast US Shelf.

GSI

Notes
Index representing the north wall of the Gulf Stream. Positive values represent a more northerly Gulf Stream position.

Index representing the north wall of the Gulf Stream. Positive values represent a more northerly Gulf Stream position.

Warm Core Rings

Warm core ring formation on the Northeast US Shelf.

Warm core ring formation on the Northeast US Shelf.